Drawbridge



3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. PFLANZ. DRAWBRIDGE.

('No Model.)

. J. PPLANZ,

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

DRAW B RID GE.

(No Model.)

n. 8. e M nl 1, k @FJ u wb w. i m m E m www@ 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J PPLANZ. DRAWBRIDGE (No Model.)

Patented Jan. 11,1898.

UNITED STATES PATENT JAKOB PFLANZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRAWBRIDG E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 597,221, dated January l1, 1898. Application filed June 2, 1897. Serial No. 639,118. (No model.)

T0 all whom t?? may concern:

Be it known that I, JAKOB PFLANZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drawbridges7 of which the following is a specification. f

My invention relates to improvements in dra-wbridges, and more especially to drawbridges which employ an approach which may be moved out of the wayto allowa longitudinally-moving draw-span to be opened.

The object of the first lpart of my invention is to provide the drawbridge with an approach which willl not only be folded in a compact and substantial manner out of the way of the longitudinal movement of the draw-span, but which will provide a substantial barrier to close' the open end of the approach and thus shut off with absolute certainty all travel and danger incident to an open drawloridge.

A further object of my invention is to support the draw-span upon rollers in a novel manner to admit of its free longitudinal movement to the extreme limit of its projec- Jtion without unbalancing the removable span upon its abutment-supports, and also to provide the said longitudinally-movable span with an anchor which will hold it securely, while it allows it to move freely in a longitudinal direction.

A further object of my invention is to provide a drawbridge such as described with a suitable locking device or devices and means for operating said devices, to provide for interloclring the meeting struts O and beams of a double-span drawbridge, and to provide means for counterbalancing and operating the longitudinally-moving drawbrid ge and its folding approach-sections with a minimum expenditure of power. v

The improvements thus suggested and other improvements involving details of construction will be herein after particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which* Figure l is a side elevation of a bridgeabutment with a draw-span and its folding approach-sections supported directly above the `abutment and withdrawn from the channel-opening of the waterway; Fig. 2, a similar view or side elevation of a modication of the bridge-span supported upon a double track and a depending framework extending below the road-bed, the said span or half-span being projected to the end of its movement over the waterwayor channel and also showing the hinged sectional approaches unfolded and extended in the same plane with the roadway; Fig. 3, a fragmental side elevation of the abutment and a part of the framework and foldable approach-sections forming a continuation of the construction shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4t, a plan view of adjacent parts of the drawbridge-spans such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5, a side elevation of my improved bridge, showing certain modifications of its constructions, a single span being shown in this figure over a very narrow waterway, the scale of the drawing being such that a long span could not be shown Within the prescribed limits; and Fig. 6, a plan view of the folding approach-sections F and inner end of the draw-span, as shown in Fig. 5.

Referring first to Fig. l of the drawings, abutmentAis recessed in the line of the roadway and of the width of the bridge and fitted with a bed-frame B, having a track-rail B', which carries at each side rollers O, upon which the'longitudinally-movable bridgespan D rests and may be easily moved when the drawbridge is to be opened and closed.

The fixed approaches E of the bridge have longitudinal beams E" at the sides thereof laid into the masonry in line with the horizontal floor-beams D' ofthe bridge-span and are connected therewith by two folding approachsections F, coupled together by hinge-links F' and pivotally connected to the said base projections of the abutment and bridge-span by transverse bolts F2, extending transversely through the outer ends of the folding sections and also through said projecting ends of the longitudinal frame-timbers B2, which will securely hold the folding approach-sections and also permit them to be raised in a vertical position and folded against each other, as shown in Fig. 1, when the bridge-span is open.

The rollers O are located at the inner end of the span, and the latter may have anchorweights G placed upon them above the rollers in such manner that the span will be held down securely upon the abutment and its outer end be allowed to project beyond the IOO I face of the abutment without danger of being upset, a more secure anchorage, however, being provided when required, as will hereinafter appear.

The sides of the fixed portion of the approaches may be guarded by hand-rail H, and the sides of the folding approach-sections may also be guarded by hand-rails H H2, which lead to corresponding footways, and handrails placed upon the outside of the bridgetimbers in the usual Way, the hand-rails on the folding sections in this instance being left vertically with said 'folding sections, as shown in Fig. l, when the bridge is open.

The drawbridge may be moved longitudinally upon the track by means of a rack-bar I on the span and a gear wheel or Worm Ito engage therewith, supported in a pillow-block l2 on the abutment by means of a shaft I3,which carries a wheel I4, (shown by dotted lines,) operated by a hand-lever I5 or by a suitable motor in any preferred manner.

The folding approach-sections F Weigh heavily and require considerable power to lift them when the bridge is open, and if not counterbalanced would, after being moved out of the perpendicular, fall to a horizontal position with such force that the bridge-span might be displaced or injured, andA they are consequently counterbalanced by Weights K, connected by cords K3,Which pass over pulleys K4, suitably supported at each side upon the fixed framing of the bridge -abutment, the said cords K3 being also connected to the middle portion of the rbridge-span and serve to counterbalance the folding approach-sections,thus permitting them to be easily and safely raised and lowered when the bridge is opened and closed without materially increasing or varying the power required to either open or close the bridge.

The bridge-span is operated by a cord K2, passing over pulleys K5 K6 upon the abutment and extending up to the motor-house T, and the said span is closed by a rope, which passes over pulleys K7 K8, supported on the bridge-span and also extending up to the said motor-house or to any suitable point for operating them.

A latch-bar L at each side of the movable section or bridge-span and pivoted to the outer end thereof engages by means of a notch Zat its end with a pin Z in the opposite span-section or abutment and thus locks the said span or spans securely when the bridge is closed, a rope or chain Z3 passing over suitable pulleys Zl Z5 upon the bridge-span and is operated in a suitable manner from the inner end of the bridge.

The modification of my invention shown in Fig. 2 consists in providing a pit or pocket A2 in the abutment A to receive the depending framework D4 of the span superstructure D3, which will thus provide a more substantial footing for the inner end of the bridge and thus adapted for a much heavier structure and longer span, a bridge thus constructed being adapted to drawbridges for the maximum span and bridge carrying capacity.

The depending framework carries rollers C', which rest upon abutment track-beams B2, and the horizontal Hoor-beams D of said span also carry rollers C3, which rest upon a horizontal track-beam B3, securely fixed at the top and sides of the pit, within which the depending end of the bridge-span is moved, the said rail, beams, and side Walls of the pit serving to prevent lateral displacement of the 'span and effectually resist any forces of this character which may be directed against the bridge. This bridge-span is prevented I from tilting and the rollers thereby prevented from leaving their tracks by means of an anchor M, which consists of a vertical bar M', vertical plates M2, and horizontal plates M3 M3, firmly embedded in the masonry of the abutment, the vertical rod M carrying at its upper end a bearing-plate M4, which supports rollers m5, to bear and roll freely over a track of angle-iron D5, securely bolted at d to the depending membersY of the bridge frame.

The bridge-frame is also prevented from tilting or being lifted from the abutment because of its projecting end by means of a longitudinal bar N, secured in the abutment, which rests at its outer end upon a roller N, mounted in the inner end of the bridge-frame in the center line of the roadway, the said beam also serving to 'support the middle portion of the hinged folding approach-sections, as shown in Fig. 2, the said approaches in bridges of unusual width being of such length as to require intermediate supports.

The framework of the movable span shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are each provided With diagonal struts O, which come together at the top and cross each other approximately at right angles to form interlocking apices for the double-span sections. The ends of the struts O project and interlock and thus effectually prevent lateral displacement of the span-sections at their meeting ends. The meeting ends of the lower horizontal timbers of the bridge sections are connected by lockingjaWs P, which project into the recesses P' in the opposite span to thus guard the pass of the drawbridge sections at their meeting ends from lateral displacement.

The folding approach-sections in Fig. 2 are shown as connected bya cord Q, which passes to a roller on the adjacent end of the bridgel section frame, which may be operated by power or in any suitable manner. The framing of the pit shown in Fig. 2 may have hand-rails H H H2 on both the folding and the fixed portion of the approaches, as shown in Fig. 3, While Fig. 4 illustrates the spansections in open position and also shows the projecting interlocking upper ends or apices of the bridge-span struts O O. The construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is materially the same as that shown in the gures hereinbefore described, except that herein I employ a single span composed of double side IIO arches, which is adapted to move in a surface recess instead of a pit with depending bridge-frarnin g, the span being held down by an anchor M, as shown in Fig. 2, and also by Weights G, as shown in Fig. l, the bridge-span being provided with a lookout and motorhouse T, from which cables are extended to the pivoted locking-bars L on one side and the folding approach-sections on the other side of the bridge-span.

The bridge may be locked in its closed position against accidental displacement of any kind by means of a vertically-movable bolt R, having a tooth-rack fr at one side to engage with a pinion R' upon a shaft R2, supported in bearings in the base-timber of the bridgespan and operated by a hand-Wheel R3, secured to the end of said shaft, by means of which the bolt R may be raised or lowered within a guard-strap on the frames to engage with a pocket or suitable recesses in the masonry of the bridge-abutment. The construction of the locking-bolt is such that they may be placed upon both sides of the bridge and be of any required size to secure a iirm hold upon the masonry, and thus lock the bridge either in its open or closed position, and thus held until the hand-wheel is operated manually in a suitable manner and at the time required. Y

A bridge constructed in the manner above described may be adapted to either large or small bridges or wide or narrow channels or waterways and is very suitable for small navigable rivers or canals which run through manufacturing districts or from the Wharves to the Warehouses of commercial supply or cities having navigable Waterways.

The construction herein shown is very simple and inexpensive and may be adapted equally to wooden or iron bridges.

Additional sections may be added and hinged together to connect the iiXed abutment With the movable bridge-span Without departing from my invention.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure byLetters Patentl. In a drawbridge, the combination With an abutment, of a longitudinallymovable span, a fixed approach-section and a plurality of folding approach-sections adapted to be moved ont of the Way of the sliding span when therdraw is opened.

2. In a drawbridge, the combination with an abutment, of a longitudinally-movable span, a fixed approach-section and a plurality of folding approachsections adapted to be moved out of the Way of the sliding span and counterbalance-Weights, guide-rollers and cables connecting the said folding sections to the Weights, substantially as described.

3. In a drawbridge, the combination with an abutment having a pit and supporting-rails secured thereon, a longitudinally-movable span having a depending frame supported upon rollers on said track Within the pit and a foldable approach-section at the outer end of said movable span, substantially as described.

Il. In a drawbridge, the combination with an abutment having a pit and supporting-rails secured thereon, av longitudinally movable span having a depending framework supported by rollers on said track Within said pit, an anchor-plate carrying rollers and a rail secured to the depending frame adapted to be held down by said rollers, substantially as described.

5. In a drawbridge, the combination with an abutment having a pit and supporting-rails secured thereon, a longitudinally-movable span, a latch-bar pivoted to the said span upon the side of said longitudinally-moving span' to engage with the abutting bridge connection, substantially as described.

6. In a drawbridge, the combination with an abutment, a longitudinally movable bridge-span section and a locking-bolt supported in guides upon said bridge-section and a recess in the abutment to receive'the 'said vertically-movin g locking-bolt, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JAKOB PFLANZ.

Witnesses:

KATE D. MERRILL, MARY A. CARROLL. 

